This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-38842561
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Misophonia: Scientists crack why eating sounds can make people angry | Misophonia: Scientists crack why eating sounds can make people angry |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Why some people become enraged by sounds such as eating or breathing has been explained by brain scan studies. | Why some people become enraged by sounds such as eating or breathing has been explained by brain scan studies. |
| The condition, misophonia, is far more than simply disliking noises such as nails being scraped down a blackboard. | The condition, misophonia, is far more than simply disliking noises such as nails being scraped down a blackboard. |
| "I feel there's a threat and get the urge to lash out - it's the fight or flight response," says patient Olana Tansley-Hancock, 29, from Kent. | "I feel there's a threat and get the urge to lash out - it's the fight or flight response," says patient Olana Tansley-Hancock, 29, from Kent. |
| UK scientists have shown some people's brains become hardwired to produce an "excessive" emotional response. | UK scientists have shown some people's brains become hardwired to produce an "excessive" emotional response. |
| Olana developed the condition when she was eight years old. Her trigger sounds include breathing, eating and rustling noises. | Olana developed the condition when she was eight years old. Her trigger sounds include breathing, eating and rustling noises. |
| She told BBC News: "Anyone eating crisps is always going to set me off, the rustle of the packet is enough to start a reaction. | She told BBC News: "Anyone eating crisps is always going to set me off, the rustle of the packet is enough to start a reaction. |
| "It's not a general annoyance, it's an immediate 'Oh my God, what is that sound?' I need to get away from it or stop it'. | "It's not a general annoyance, it's an immediate 'Oh my God, what is that sound?' I need to get away from it or stop it'. |
| "I spent a long time avoiding places like the cinema. I'd have to move carriages seven or eight times on 30-minute train journeys, and I left a job after three months as I spent more time crying and having panic attacks than working." | "I spent a long time avoiding places like the cinema. I'd have to move carriages seven or eight times on 30-minute train journeys, and I left a job after three months as I spent more time crying and having panic attacks than working." |
| Scientists at multiple centres in the UK scanned the brains of 20 misophonic people, including Olana, and 22 people without the condition. | Scientists at multiple centres in the UK scanned the brains of 20 misophonic people, including Olana, and 22 people without the condition. |
| They were played a range of noises while they were in the MRI machine, including: | They were played a range of noises while they were in the MRI machine, including: |
| The results, published in the journal Current Biology, revealed the part of the brain that joins our senses with our emotions - the anterior insular cortex - was overly active in misophonia. | The results, published in the journal Current Biology, revealed the part of the brain that joins our senses with our emotions - the anterior insular cortex - was overly active in misophonia. |
| And it was wired up and connected to other parts of the brain differently in those with misophonia. | And it was wired up and connected to other parts of the brain differently in those with misophonia. |
| Dr Sukhbinder Kumar, from Newcastle University, told BBC News: "They are going into overdrive when they hear these sounds, but the activity was specific to the trigger sounds not the other two sounds. | Dr Sukhbinder Kumar, from Newcastle University, told BBC News: "They are going into overdrive when they hear these sounds, but the activity was specific to the trigger sounds not the other two sounds. |
| "The reaction is anger mostly, it's not disgust, the dominating emotion is the anger - it looks like a normal response, but then it is going into overdrive." | "The reaction is anger mostly, it's not disgust, the dominating emotion is the anger - it looks like a normal response, but then it is going into overdrive." |
| There are no treatments, but Olana has developed coping mechanisms such as using ear plugs. | There are no treatments, but Olana has developed coping mechanisms such as using ear plugs. |
| She also knows caffeine and alcohol make the condition worse, "which is rubbish". | She also knows caffeine and alcohol make the condition worse, "which is rubbish". |
| "But I have a relatively mild case and am still able to have a job, I know a lot of people who aren't able to have that, I feel quite fortunately really," she said. | "But I have a relatively mild case and am still able to have a job, I know a lot of people who aren't able to have that, I feel quite fortunately really," she said. |
| It is still not clear how common the disorder is, as there is no clear way of diagnosing it and it was only recently discovered. | It is still not clear how common the disorder is, as there is no clear way of diagnosing it and it was only recently discovered. |
| Ultimately, the researchers hope, understanding the difference in the misophonic brain will lead to new treatments. | Ultimately, the researchers hope, understanding the difference in the misophonic brain will lead to new treatments. |
| Targeted electricity | Targeted electricity |
| One idea is that low levels of targeted electricity passed through the skull, which is known to adjust brain function, could help. | One idea is that low levels of targeted electricity passed through the skull, which is known to adjust brain function, could help. |
| Tim Griffiths, a professor of cognitive neurology at Newcastle University and University College London, said: "I hope this will reassure sufferers. | Tim Griffiths, a professor of cognitive neurology at Newcastle University and University College London, said: "I hope this will reassure sufferers. |
| "I was part of the sceptical community myself until we saw patients in the clinic and understood how strikingly similar the features are. | "I was part of the sceptical community myself until we saw patients in the clinic and understood how strikingly similar the features are. |
| "We now have evidence to establish the basis for the disorder through the differences in brain control mechanism in misophonia." | "We now have evidence to establish the basis for the disorder through the differences in brain control mechanism in misophonia." |
| Follow James on Twitter. | Follow James on Twitter. |